Propeller mechanism for vessels



Dec 15, 1925' F. W. BOLJ PROPELLER MECHANISM FOR VESSELS Filed June 15. 192

of which the following is Patented use 15, 1925.

PETER W. BOLI, OF WILKINSBNRG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROPELLER MECHANISM FOR VESSELS.

Application filed June 13, 1924. Serial No. 719,727.

To all whomz'imay comm.-

Be it known that I, PETER W. Born, a citizen of the United States, and residing in the borough of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of ennsylvania, have invented or discovered the new, useful, and Improved Propeller Mechanism for Vessels,

a specification.

y invention consists in new and improved propeller mechanism for vessels,, and the same is particularly intended for light draft vessels on inland rivers.

In relatively shallow waters, marine screw propellers which are entirely, or almost entirely, immerged tical owing to their draught, and. therefore the general practice has been to use paddle wheels, either side or stern, a more expen sive construction and requiring more power to operate.

In some cases the same being inclosed in a tunnel in the hull, but in such case there is a material loss of power, and the vessels cannot be' readily backed nor do they easily respond to movements of the rudders.

In inland river work where an irregular channel must be followed, and more or less frequent landings, and stoppings, startings and backings must be accomplished, the items of ready response to the rudder and ease in backing are. of vital importance.

propellers have been used,

This is especially true in the case of tug and sel, but I prefer to tow-boats, power bar es and the like.

The object which I lave in view is the pro vision of screw propeller mechanism, adapt ed for use in shallow waters, and which will be characterized by all of the advantages of the screw propeller as compared to the paddle wheehand which will be conductive to the easy steering and backing of the vessel.

For this purpose I extend rearwardly from the stern of tlie vessel, above the water line, a power-driven shaft or shafts upon which are mounted in tandem and in spaced relation a plurality of propellers whose fiukes are at least partially immersed in the water when belowthe shaft but are clear of the water as they rise toward the horizontal. I may provide a single shaft alined with the longitudinal axisof the hull, in the case of a small or moderately powered vesprovide two such shafts, one at each side of and parallel with said longitudinal axis. I

in'the water, are not prac- The twin shaft installation not only adds to the speed and-power, but also improvesv the steering, as one shaft may be idle while the other is'driven to turn the boat on a short radius. By interposing a central shaft between the twin shafts above described, the power and speed may be still further increased.

s a convenient method of supporting the shaft or shafts I provide a frame extending rearwardly from the hull above the water line and comprising beams somewhat similar to the cylinder beams of a stem-wheel vessel, but preferably of greater length than the cylinder beams, the rear ends of said beams being connected bya cross beam by which are carried the bearin for the rear end or ends of the driving s iaft or shafts.- The super-structure of the vessel may be extended rearwardly over and be supported by the beams. 1 .7

'While my invention may be used on steam vessels, I have designed my invention with, particular reference to vessels driven by in-' ternal combustion engines, such as Diesel engines, and I may provide an engine for each shaft with interposed clutch, and speed and reversing gears, to facilitate operation. In the accompanying drawings, which are 'however'merely intended to illustrate the best known to me practical embodiment of the principles of my invention without limiting the scope thereof to the construction shown, Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partially broken away in section, showing a vessel to which my invention has been applied; Fig. 2 is a sectionalview taken along the line II-II,in Fig. l,.cand 'Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail showm the mounting ofthe pro eller fiukes on t e shaft.

The ollowing is a detailed description of the drawings. a A represents the hull of the vessel. B represents a pair of beams which extend realwardly at either side of the hull above the water-line, much the same as do the cylinder beams' upon which is mounted the paddle wheel of a stern-wheel vessel. The beams B extend rearwardly for a greater relative distance than cylinder beams, and attheir rear ends said beams are connected by thecross beam 0. The so rstructure D of the gessel may be extendecFi-earwardly. over the cams.

are connected by clutch r mouni-ecl in the rFQ while said shafts extend iiorwuriily elirough bearings 2 in the, slcrii. of e ,iull 1%., and lmuism 3 aml change speed 'Il'ltl reverse g or mcclmnism 1- Wilh the Di" i cugiur dolled lines 11 cruoly prov or The sku ls E we inc i138,

whicn or- G in 1.

time prcgzcl 3.18 cocrscoer.

Spccco lers which I have shown tyne, having; the diametrically opposed fiiikcs H which may oc conveniently mlted to erimetral. flanges 5 of hub-collars 6 which may be keyed or otherwise fixed on the shafts. The oroocllcrs are spaced apart along the suii'ioieutly so not to in terferc with such olliers ecuon, su-ci are trimmed in the proper relation so as lo produce. a substantially conlziouous thrust on the water.

The rudder or rudders I are sci close to the stern of the bull. in advance the frontpropellers.

It is evi ieut that by lire modem crraugo merit; of the plurality propellers on a shaftwhich is above ill-e water line 1 um enabled to obtain the some and even greater power as could be obtained; by so immersed marine propeller and; u; the some time I adopt the propeller meihod. of propulsion to shallow Wclcrs.

The propellers ops-rule in open or unobstructed water, power is rlissipoled ego-insiconfining mils us is the case Where the propellers WOil; Wiliin a tunnel in the hull. Thus tho full thrust of the propellers is exer'tcd in forwcril travel and in backing, and in twin triple Silvia, installotions I may use the prcpcllers turning in the same manner as the twin propellers of a marine vessel or the paddle wheels of a, side Wheel vessel.

What 3: fiesire to claim is:

1. lo a screw propeller mechanism for vessels, the combination with driving means mounted in tlichull, of c horizontally dis posed shall extending rearwarcll" from the hull, means for impa Ilng rotary motion m either direction to Silld slicft from said drivi ng means, and plurality of propellers mounted in t micro 5.1161 in. spaced, relation to each other on seiii shaft the giropcllers being immersed below their uses only,

screw r or mechanism for vessels, il'u comb ciriving means of? horizontally" (lis- 'zrcurwsriy from the posed shaft extenci tl'ic as or the blclie.

accuses liull, said shaft being positioned above (line Waiter line, means for imparting rotai motion in either direction to said shaft girom scicl driving means, and. a plurality of gyro pellers mounted in modem and in spaced relation to each other on said shaft, tho pro pellets being immersed below their axes only.

3. In screw ropeiler mechanism for vessels, lilo combination with means momiicrl in tlicllull, of support er -cooling rwrwcrclly from the hull above the wster line, a horizontally disposed shaft jo'urnclecl longitudinally of said support meme for importing rotary motion in either direction filo said shaft from. said driving means, and a plurality of prooellcrs mcunterl in modem curl in spaced relctiou to such other on Siilijl shoft, the propellers being immersed lselo o: choir axes only.

4:. In a screw propeller mechanism for vessels, the combination with driving means mounted in ihe hull, of a so wport extending resrwardly from the hull s are the water line, a horizontally dispose shaft mounted longitudinally of sci support and; having its and portions joumclcrl in bearings at the from and rear ends oi said supggcriz, moons for importing rotary motion in eltllerclircctiou to said shalt from said'dz'iving means, and a plurality of ropellers mcunterl in tandem and in' spac relsfiion to each other on said shaft, the pro; liars losing immerse below their axes on y.

5. In screw propellcr mechanism for vessels, the combination of a pair of l1o3izontully' disposed shafts extending rear wardly from the hull obove the wa ter line and m persllehsm with the longitudinal axml line of the hull, a, plurality of propellers mounted 1n laud-em and Lil spaced reloiuon to each other on scicl shafts the propellers being immersed below their axes only, and mcuns mouuted m the hull for moiependently' imparting rotary movement mx either direction to each of said shafts.

6. In screw propeller mechanism for vessels, the combination of a pair of hori zontclly disposed shafts extending rearwerdly from the hull .above the water line cud in parallelism with the longitudinal A said support anal in parallelism with the longitudinal axial line of the llull and hov- Ill fro '1 said driving; means,

l. in screw oroielier mechanism ror vessels, the emnhination of a support extending rearwardly from the hull above the water line, a plurality of horizontally disposed shafts journaled longitudinally of said support and in parallelism with the longitudinal axial line of the hull and having their end portions journaled in bearings at the front and rear of said support, a plurality of propellers mounted in tandem and in spaced relation to each other on said shafts the propellers being immersed below their axes only, a separate driving means for each shaft, and means whereby rotary motion in either direction may he imparted to shaft from its drivin means.

Win a vessel for use in shallow waters,

the combination of driving means mounted in the hull, a horizontally disposed shaft extending rearvvardly from the hull and above the water level, means for imparting rotary motion in either direction tosaid shaft from said driving means, a plurality'of propellers mounted in tandem in spaced relation to each other on said shaft, the propellers being immersed below their axes only, and a steering rudder in advance of said propellers.

10. In a vessel for shallow waters, the combination of a pair of horizontally disposed shafts extending rearwardly from the hull above the Water line and in parallelism with the longitudinal axial line of the hulhmeans mounted in the hull for driving said shafts independently in either direction, a plurality of propellers mounted in tandem and in spaced relation to each other on'each of said shafts, the propellers being immersed below their axes only, and steering rudder in advance of said propellers.

Signed at Pittsburgh, Pa. this 9th day of June, 19:24.

\ PETER W. BOLI. 

